Arcata, CA: 1 Violation - Home Safety 99/100
2 ZIP codes · 5 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Arcata: A.
No federal data flags a major home-safety concern for this ZIP.
How does Arcata tap water hold up under EPA scrutiny? Above average for CA - documented violations are uncommon and the safety grade reflects a clean overall record.
How Arcata Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
Arcata Water: The Quick Version
- Your city's water systems recorded 1 violation in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.0036 mg/L.
- Estimated remediation: $1,200 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 12.81 - above typical levels.
Water Systems Serving Arcata
Arcata, CA draws its residential water from 3 separate providers among the 5 federally tracked systems. Each operates independently, with its own infrastructure, rate structure, and compliance record.
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Overview
We track home safety data for 2 ZIP codes in Arcata, California (population ~21,684), covering 5 community water systems serving approximately 43,036 people region-wide. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 1 of 2 ZIP codes.
1 of 1 ZIP code with a reported violation count in the available EPA record (100%) have recorded EPA violations. The available record reports no health-based violations for this measured scope.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Arcata: A (99/100)
Model 4.0.0 uses four measured components across three equally weighted domains. If a required domain is unavailable, no score is published:
| Factor | What It Measures |
|---|---|
| Water Quality | EPA violations and compliance history |
| PFAS MCL Screen | UCMR 5 testing against the covered federal MCLs |
| Radon Risk | EPA radon zone classification |
| Annual AQI | EPA AirData county-year median with at least 90 observed days |
Water Sources
Arcata water systems draw from: Groundwater.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0036 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 0 of 1 ZIP code with known status exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
Dominant radon zone: Zone 3 (Low Risk)
- Zone 1 (High): 0 ZIP codes
- Zone 2 (Moderate): 0 ZIP codes
- Zone 3 (Low): 2 ZIP codes
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 2 DBP Rule | Treatment Technique | 2 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 95521 | A | 1 | 0 | Humboldt Bay Mwd |
All ZIP Codes in Arcata
Data Sources
- Water quality: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)
- Lead/copper: EPA Lead and Copper Rule sampling data
- Radon: EPA Map of Radon Zones
Reporting periods vary by source. Missing data is shown as unavailable, not as zero.
CDC Health Data for Arcata
Source: CDC PLACES (County-level estimates). Water contamination can correlate with respiratory and chronic health conditions.
Compared to National Average
Vertical line = national average. ■ Above national · ■ Below national
Key Contaminants Detected in Arcata
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Arcata: Remediation Cost in Perspective
Property equity in Arcata runs well ahead of estimated remediation costs - a cost-to-value ratio that sits in the low tier, meaning documented water and safety issues here are the kind homeowners can plan to address without treating the expense as a significant budget event relative to what their homes are worth.
Remediation costs in Arcata are relatively low compared to home values. The $800–$1,800 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 35% below the California average.
Protecting Children from Lead in Arcata
Why children are most at risk: The CDC states there is no safe level of lead exposure for children. Children under 6 absorb lead more readily than adults, and even low levels can cause developmental delays, learning difficulties, and behavioral problems.
Lead risk in Arcata appears low overall, but individual homes may differ. Testing is the only way to confirm your water's lead content.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical Flood-Claim Evidence for Arcata
Historical NFIP data for Arcata contains 39 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $18,410. Among ZIP codes with claim records, 100% have an A- or V-family dominant rated zone recorded in those historical claims. This is not a complete current FEMA property-map inventory.
How flooding affects water quality: Flood events can introduce sewage, agricultural runoff, and industrial chemicals into water supplies. Even after floodwaters recede, contamination can persist in wells and aging infrastructure. The <strong>$1,200</strong> remediation estimate shown here excludes flood insurance and is not derived from NFIP claim count.
Claim count does not establish current property risk. Check the exact address in FEMA's current map and obtain a property-specific insurance quote when relevant.
Source: historical FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claim records. No current FEMA property-map designation is asserted.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Arcata, CA